Synthesis and biological evaluation of 9-fluorenone derivatives for SPECT imaging of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

The α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) subtype, is found to have a connection with the pathogenesis of a variety of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Herein, we report the development of radioiodinated 9-fluorenone derivatives as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging tracers for α7-nAChRs. Among the derivatives, the best member of the series 10 (Ki = 2.23 nM) were radiolabeled with ¹²⁵I for in vitro and in vivo studies. The radiotracer [¹²⁵I]10 exhibited robust brain uptake and specifically labeled α7-nAChRs with a peak uptake value of 9.49 ± 0.87%ID/g in brain. Blocking studies demonstrated that the tracer was highly specific toward α7-nAChR. Furthermore, ex vivo autoradiography and micro-SPECT/CT dynamic imaging in mice confirmed the excellent imaging properties. In addition, molecular docking was also performed to rationalize the potency of the chosen compounds towards α7-nAChRs. To conclude, compound 10 could serve as a promising radiotracer for the α7-nAChRs.     

A pre-targeting strategy for imaging glucose metabolism using technetium-99m labelled dibenzocyclooctyne derivative

During the last four decades, nuclear medicine has undergone enormous growth, and positron emission tomography (PET) has been in the driving seat for most of the time. ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) is the most widely used agent for the detection of hibernating myocardium and metabolically active cancer tissue. But its cost and limited availability are the main limitations. For a long time different researchers and groups of pharmacists have tried to label glucose with a cheaper and long-acting radionuclide like ^99mTc. However, they failed to achieve this goal owing to the chemical complexity of ^99mTc and the lack of maintaining the physiological activity of diagnostic compounds. A pre-targeting strategy based on strain-promoted [3 + 2] azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) reaction was applied to solve this problem. Functional click synthons were synthesized: 2-azido-2-deoxy-d-glucose (GlucN₃) as a glucose analogue, and N- (2- (2- (2- (bis (pyridin-2-ylmethyl) amino) ethoxy) ethoxy) ethyl-2- (6H-11,12-didehydrodibenzo [a,e] cycloocten-5-ylideneaminooxy) acetamide (C7) as a ^99mTc(CO)₃ labeling and azido-binding group. The results of biodistribution experiments in mice bearing S180 tumor show the relatively high tumor/blood ratio (up to 2.95) and tumor/muscle ratio (up to 6.37), and both of them decreases significantly in the glucose blocking experiment. It indicates that GlucN₃ behaves similarly to glucose and that in vivo SPAAC reactions can occur effectively. It is supposed that this pre-targeting strategy can indeed enhance target specificity and may be used for glucose metabolism imaging in tumor diagnosis.     

Leucine ureido derivatives as aminopeptidase N inhibitors using click chemistry. Part II

Aminopeptidase N (APN) has been proved to be deeply associated with cancer angiogenesis, metastasis and invasion. Therefore, APN gains increasing attention as a promising anti-tumor target. In the current study, we report the design, synthesis, biological evaluation and structure-activity relationship of one new series of leucine ureido derivatives containing the 1,2,3-triazole moiety. Among them, compound 31f was identified as the best APN inhibitor with IC₅₀ value being two orders of magnitude lower than that of the positive control bestatin. Compound 31f possessed selective cytotoxicity to several tumor cell lines over the normal cell line human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Notably, when combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), 31f exhibited synergistic anti-proliferation effect against several tumor cell lines. At the same concentration, 31f exhibited much better anti-angiogenesis activities than bestatin in the HUVECs capillary tube formation assay and the rat thoracic aorta rings test. In the in vitro anti-invasion assay, 31f also exhibited superior potency over bestatin. Moreover, considerable in vivo antitumor potencies of 31f alone or in combination with 5-Fu were observed without significant toxic signs in a mouse heptoma H22 tumor transplant model.     

Characterization and engineering of the Lrp/AsnC family regulator SACE_5717 for erythromycin overproduction in Saccharopolyspora erythraea

Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology - In this work, we found that the Lrp/AsnC family protein SACE_5717 negatively regulated erythromycin biosynthesis in S. erythraea. Disruption...     

神经元形态重建工具的研究进展

近年来,分子标记和显微光学成像技术的系列突破,使得单细胞分辨的全脑尺度神经群落成像成为现实.然而,现有神经元形态重建工具的发展速度远远滞后于海量数据的产生速度,难以满足现阶段成像数据的分析需求.在此背景下,我们首先分析了神经元形态重建工具发展滞后的原因,简述现有半自动和全自动神经元形态重建工具的特点和最新发展,并结合现有工具的特点分析其向高通量、高准确度重建工具发展时面临的挑战.最后,我们对未来形态重建工具的发展趋势及应用前景做出展望.     

林分因子对云顶山不同人工林林下植物多样性的影响

该研究采用典型抽样法,以成都云顶山5种人工林——柏木 枫杨林(BF)、银杏 楠木林(YN)、光皮梾木 香樟林(GZ)、枫杨 桤木林(FQ)、柏木林(CB)为研究对象,分析不同人工林的林下植物组成与多样性特征,并确定影响林下植物多样性的主导林分因子,为当地人工林经营管理提供理论依据。结果表明：(1)研究区共记录林下植物168种,隶属于62科130属;5种人工林灌木层与草本层的科属种数均以GZ最多。(2)5种不同人工林灌木层与草本层的优势种数分别为7、4、7、6、4种和5、4、9、9、10种,数量都较少。(3)5种人工林的Shannon Wiener多样性指数(H)、Simpson优势度指数(H′)、物种丰富度指数(D)、Pielou均匀度指数(J_sw) 均基本表现为草本层>灌木层,BF、GZ灌木层的D略高;灌木层的H、H′、D值均以GZ最大,但不同人工林的J_sw差异不显著;草本层的H、H′、D、J_sw均基本呈现CB>FQ>GZ>BF>YN趋势,GZ的D值略高于FQ。(4)6个林分因子对灌木层4个物种多样性指数的影响均无显著差异;林分平均树高、平均枝下高、平均胸径、平均冠幅和林分密度是影响草本层H、D的主要因子,但各林分因子对草本层H′、J_sw的影响差异不显著。研究认为,林分结构对林下草本层物种多样性的影响更大,平均树高、平均枝下高、平均胸径、平均冠幅、林分密度对草本层多样性有显著影响。     

黑果枸杞提取物泡腾片的制备及其质量评价

为了解决黑果枸杞中花青素稳定性问题,本文采用Box-Behnken设计对黑果枸杞提取物泡腾片配方进行优化,并对其进行质量评价。采用酸碱混合制粒压片法,通过单因素实验,筛选出片剂所需的辅料:崩解剂、填充剂、润滑剂以及甜味剂。采用响应面试验,结合感官评价进行处方优化,从而确定最优配方:柠檬酸32%、黑果枸杞提取物25%、碳酸氢钠24%、乳糖15%、甜蜜素3%、聚乙二醇6000 1%;对最优配方进行质量评价,各项指标均符合规定,其中花青素含量为8.06 mg/g。该泡腾片表面光滑,泡腾效果好,具有黑果枸杞香气,为实际生产提供理论依据。     

Improved Production of Spores and Bioactive Metabolites from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens in Solid-state Fermentation by a Rapid Optimization Process

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - A dipicolonic acid fluorimetry assay was used instead of plate counting for the assessment of spore yields for enhanced optimization efficiency. The...     

Effective bioreactor pH control using only sparging gases

pH control is critical in bioreactor operations, typically realized through a two-sided control loop, where CO₂ sparging and base addition are used in bicarbonate-buffered media. Though a common approach, base addition could compromise culture performance due to the potential impact from pH excursions and osmolality increase in large-scale bioreactors. In this study, the feasibility of utilizing control of sparge gas composition as part of the pH control loop was assessed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) fed-batch cultures. Fine pH control was evaluated in multiple processes at different setpoints in small-scale ambr®250 bioreactors. Desired culture pH setpoints were successfully maintained via air sparge feedback control. As part of the pH control loop, air sparging was increased to improve CO₂ removal automatically, hence increase culture pH, and vice versa. The effectiveness of this pH control strategy was seamlessly transferred from ambr®250 to 200 L scale, demonstrating scalability of the proposed methodology. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 35: e2743, 2019